The Pittsburgh Steelers (8–6) opened the 2025 season on a high note, but as the weeks passed, frustration quietly built inside the locker room. The struggles within the team became very evident during a brutal 26–7 home loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13. But since then, something has changed in Pittsburgh. And linebacker Patrick Queen recently revealed that it started with some difficult conversations in the locker room.

“Everybody knows they feel the same way,” Patrick Queen said recently in an interview with 93.7 The Fan. “Everybody seeing the same thing, but nobody said nothing. It got to the point that you could feel the tension in the room, and everybody who needed to say something, said something. It’s been flowing right ever since. Just gotta build on that, and definitely we gotta be better. Just turn in the right direction.” 

According to Patrick, those conversations in Pittsburgh’s locker room before the Week 13 game flipped a switch. Many of the Steelers players realized that they all shared the same concerns. The difference? They finally spoke up in the locker room. And since then, the Steelers have started moving in the right direction.

Was the Week 13 game the breaking point for Pittsburgh? It sure looked like it. Pittsburgh gave up 249 rushing yards to Buffalo in that game. It was the most the franchise has ever allowed in a single contest at home in the last 50 years. So, it was a complete team failure for Pittsburgh, and everyone knew it. But instead of letting it linger, the Steelers confronted it head-on.

That accountability appeared to pay off in the next few games. As Patrick Queen noted, the Steelers locker room now feels more connected and confident. Communication has improved, and efforts have followed. So, the results have shown up in the field for Pittsburgh.

In Week 14, the Steelers stunned the league with a road win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers’ linebacker even led his team by example as he played through a glute injury. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers also delivered a resurgent performance. He averaged just 163.2 passing yards and an 83.5 passer rating over his previous five starts. But in Week 14, he recorded 284 yards, a passing and a rushing touchdown in a clutch 27–22 victory.

Could that win have saved Pittsburgh’s season? It certainly felt like a turning point as it strengthened their bid to claim the AFC North. 

The momentum carried into Week 15, when the Steelers took down the Miami Dolphins. Once again, Patrick Queen stood out with his performance in the run defense. Late in the second quarter of the game, he shot through the gap on third-and-1 and tackled Dolphins’ RB Ollie Gordon II for a four-yard loss. That tackle forced Miami to settle for a field goal, and it had a major impact on the Steelers’ 28–15 win.

So, through the recent games, the Steelers have stayed united and corrected the concerns that the players had with each other. But now, the team’s resilience is set to face another challenge as they prepare for a Week 16 showdown against the Detroit Lions (8–6). 

Will the resilience in the locker room help the Steelers win in Week 16? 

The tough conversations and accountability from players like Patrick Queen have instilled a renewed sense of focus for the Steelers this season. But their playoff push would be really difficult to move forward against a desperate and hard-nosed Lions team this week. Even more so as injuries loom large in Pittsburgh. 

Steelers’ star linebacker T.J. Watt is still sidelined after undergoing surgery due to a dry needling session gone wrong. Before the injury, Watt recorded 53 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 forced fumbles in just 13 games. So, his absence changes everything for Pittsburgh’s defense.

Top Stories

DK Metcalf Awaits Huge Punishment From NFL After Controversial Incident vs Detroit Lions

Jared Goff Calls Out Refs’ Multiple Mistakes After Lions’ Loss

Prayers Pour In From Terrell Owens as 275lbs Former Cowboys Player Announces Major Health News

Dak Prescott Publicly Accuses Cowboys Locker Room of Giving Up After Jerry Jones’ 1-Word Reaction

Chiefs’ Chris Oladokun Reveals Patrick Mahomes’ Gesture After Titans Game Amid Gardner Minshew’s Injury

Also, let’s not forget that Pittsburgh entered last week with a 1-11 record in games that Watt did not start. The win over Miami bumped that record to 2–11, but the concern remains. So, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin recently tried to fill that hole in the roster left by Watt. 

Tomlin made a roster move recently as he signed linebacker Jeremiah Moon off the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. That brought back a familiar face in Pittsburgh as Moon has already played a rotational role on the team last season. He recorded 9 tackles in 13 games last season. Still, replacing Watt is no easy task.

Moreover, with the Ravens lurking right behind them in the AFC North, every game now feels like a must-win for the Steelers. Still, the Steelers’ fans would hope that the renewed culture of accountability in the locker room that Patrick Queen just revealed can carry them past the Lions this week.